Here is a good one.

[AVEX]

I got asked to bid on cleaning some bridges. The city is doing this because of a golf tournament. MY LORD. Two bridges, four sides total. HUGE! under the bridges are a two lane busy road and a creek. They want NO chemicals, just hot water. Ok, questions;

How am I going to hang over the bridge? I cannot use a lift in the creek....I don't think.....

Do I need to capture the water as it falls to keep from contaminating the creek below? This is a bridge that is an interstate, you can imagine the amount of grit, grime and oil that has to be cleaned off of this.

They only want the sides and columns done, not the deck obviously. I am obviously looking at night work with cones, lights and bright flashing trucks. I have a landa 3500 psi 3.5 gpm hot at 210 deg. I will have to rent a couple more. These things are HUGE! There is no graffiti. The bridges are complete concrete, no steel. I could not measure the bridges due to traffic and safety issues. Not to mention it scares the crap out of me to be on an interstate at 5:30 pm. I don't want to become part of the grit and grime that needs to be cleaned up. Approximately 700 feet long per bridge. I wonder if it would be cheaper for them to just paint it. It only needs to look clean for like a week.....LOL Just kidding.

Um, that is a start I guess. Ready for the laughs and criticisms....... Keep 'em coming please.

Thanks so much.

John

 

[AVEX]

I talked to the contractor seeking the bid. He informed me today that reclaiming the water is not necessary. I think I might need to walk away from this one. That does not make sense to me. He said that just wanted it cleaned up quick. He told me he needs me to complete my bid by Monday. He told me he would rent a Skyjacker and take it over the side and put a portable washer in the basket with him. REALLY??????? hmmmmmm He told me the city would provide a truck that could haul 1000 gallons of water. They would also provide the water. Whatever...............

 

[AVEX]

Well thanks for the input guys. Have a good one and good luck out there.

 

[ERADiblaster]

I worked with a company a couple of years ago when they were repainting a bridge with a road deck on top and a railroad deck below. They'd park an articulating boom truck on the road deck (bridge is only used for rail traffic now) to reach over the sides. They also used "Spyder baskets," but those went straight down the sides, where the boom/basket was able to reach in between vertical structures. I don't recall if it was a "Skyjacker," but same principle, I guess.
You'd have at least one lane of traffic obstructed with a truck like that, because of the need to extend the outriggers enough.

I was going to suggest some kind of measuring from satellite photos so you could get a better idea of the square footage, and not under- or overpricing your bid. It looked like you were "getting your ducks lined up" and it might be doable, but then I saw the part when you said they told you no containment of the wash water would be necessary.

Whew, I dunno, John. You might have been right with the thought about "walk away from this." We all hate to turn down jobs, but I sense a potential for that one to be more trouble than it's worth.
Just one reader's opinion . . .

 

[AVEX]

Yeah after visiting with him it really seems like the, "rednecks", please don't be offended, I am one too....LOL are not wanting this done to protocol and I don't care to have my neck stuck out there. I would hate to imagine what types of fines there could be. It could break me, easily.

 

[AVEX]

Well, I called the local, county and state municipalities. They all said go ahead without reclaimation....ok. Talked with the contractor and they have now only asked that the 4' section at the top facing be washed. Now we just might have something. I am thinkink now about renting a truck with an, "autocrane" to hang over the side with. It can lower me to the desired heighth and with another person driving the truck can pull the washer and myself along as I wash. These bridges are 500' long. No soap, no sandblasting and no soda per the municipalities. This could be interesting don't you think? Input?

John